I see many ads on CL for "kevlar" boats that look more like royalex than kevlar
The original question was "Is this boat kevlar or royalex?"

Note it has since been determined it is kevlar...

"Very lightly used 2003 Swift Osprey kevlar solo canoe. It is in very good condition with a few minor surface scratches on the hull. Length is 15 feet and it weighs 43 pounds. The gunwales are anodized black aluminum with wood thwarts. It has a comfortable web seat with an attractive wood frame, the front edge is angled for comfort while paddling when kneeling. The seat is adjustable fore and aft to allow for trim adjustment of the canoe. The Osprey is a maneuverable tripping canoe that is comfortable in class 2 rapids."






Those pics look a lot like a royalex boat. Particularly the blunt nose. Kevlar boats have a much sharper entry in most cases. Also the hull interior looks too smooth.

I see this quite often on CL, mostly for Coleman and Old Town canoes.

Rant #2
Crappy pics of something that might be a canoe in the garage rafters, or sitting out back in a trash heap...




If you're trying to sell something at least make it look semi attractive

I love cruising CL for deals. I’ve seen some really nice kevlar canoes put up without even saying the brand or model. When the ad says “Canoe for sale. Two oars included” you know they have no idea what tbey have.

The problem I ran into here in mid-Michigan was a person south of me buying up any canoe of value and relisting if for a premium price! I shopped a long time (couple years) watching C-list and Marketplace for used Kevlars. Three different times I contacted sellers about boats that interested me, then three times I was told the boat had just sold only to see the exact same boat listed on Craigslist with big markup.
This spring however I did finally manage to snag a used Spirit II in excellent shape for a fair price so persistence does pay off!

Nigal: "I love cruising CL for deals. I’ve seen some really nice kevlar canoes put up without even saying the brand or model. When the ad says “Canoe for sale. Two oars included” you know they have no idea what tbey have. "

X2 if you are a deal-hunter with time on your hands these brief ads with crappy photos can be gold.

The misrepresentation bugs me but I’m not gonna critique the seller’s photo or writing skills when it means I’m probably getting a deal

I suspect many people who aren't canoe aficionados don't always know the material. That Osprey though looks like it could be Swift's expedition kevlar. I have one in yellow, and it looks identical.

tomo: "I suspect many people who aren't canoe aficionados don't always know the material. That Osprey though looks like it could be Swift's expedition kevlar. I have one in yellow, and it looks identical. "

Thanks.

Well JHB, while I agree there is a lot of this happening in the CL world, you picked the wrong ad to rant about. That is indeed an composite Osprey. It has flotation tanks, which royalex would not have. Also, I don't believe Swift ever made a royalex osprey. This one would have been an "expedition" type layup with no foam core, the reason for the big flotation tanks.

Nigal: "I love cruising CL for deals. I’ve seen some really nice kevlar canoes put up without even saying the brand or model. When the ad says “Canoe for sale. Two oars included” you know they have no idea what tbey have. "

That's funny!

Mike

Nigal: "I love cruising CL for deals. I’ve seen some really nice kevlar canoes put up without even saying the brand or model. When the ad says “Canoe for sale. Two oars included” you know they have no idea what tbey have. "

My son just picked up 2 matching kayaks on facebook that included the "oars!" LOL
FISHONFISHOFF

I flew to Wyoming a couple times to work and both times, stayed with a great family I'd met in the Midwest. When I wasn't working, we went up into the mountains and fishing too and one day, the husband told me a couple guys were coming to look at a boat he'd listed.

So, as a precaution, before they arrived, he strapped on a sidearm and when I looked puzzled, he said, "Ya never know about Craigslist."

Has anyone else ever worried about the possible dark side of Craigslist?

Police in my metropolitan area (SE Wisconsin) advise sellers/buyers of personal electronics to meet each other at the police department since there have been numerous robberies in these situations.

thegildedgopher: "

Nigal: "I love cruising CL for deals. I’ve seen some really nice kevlar canoes put up without even saying the brand or model. When the ad says “Canoe for sale. Two oars included” you know they have no idea what tbey have. "

X2 if you are a deal-hunter with time on your hands these brief ads with crappy photos can be gold.


The misrepresentation bugs me but I’m not gonna critique the seller’s photo or writing skills when it means I’m probably getting a deal"

Yeah for every good deal you see there are 2,000 aluminum grummands and Old Town Discoveries you have to wade through.

sedges: "Well JHB, while I agree there is a lot of this happening in the CL world, you picked the wrong ad to rant about..."

My apologies. I've also apologized to the guy that ran the ad. Fixed my opening post to be less accusatory...

The dark side of craigslist is definitely a worry to me. I've seen the advice to meet at a police station parking lot too. I have, however, bought some canoes on craigslist. Just didn't seem too likely that people were listing solo Sawyers and Mad Rivers to rip people off. And in both cases we talked on the phone first and they seemed like they knew canoes.

Regarding some of the other CL issues, I haven't had any problems regarding safety issues. I've bought and sold all of my canoes on CL. I did have one guy who was trolling me when I was looking to buy a Northstar. Contacted me that he had one, had endless excuses for no pics. When I suggested we get together to see it he always had an excuse. After 5-6 weeks I just gave up on the guy. I had a woman who wanted to buy a kayak I won on paddling.net. It listed for $2300 new I was asking $1800 (never in the water). She kept badgering me to sell it for $500 because I didn't pay anything for it. Then about 6 months later she tells me she can get it for $300 less than I was asking from some dealer on the east coast. I checked it out and it was the same boat in a cheaper layup.

As for people that give some obscure method of contacting them to avoid spammers, I never understood that. Just let the contact be via email from CL. I only give my cell phone after I've conversed via email a couple of times and feel they have what I want or are interested in my stuff so we can arrange the pickup details. For smaller items I meet at a local shopping center. Boats are usually at my house or theirs. The exception was when I bought my Northwind. The guy wanted to meet at a park in Rodgers.

Re: dark side:
Pro-tip: do not....repeat, just don't, buy your next best dog-friend off CL, at midnight, at Target parking lot. Don't do it. You will be visiting me, or the likes of me, at your friendly, expensive neighborhood veterinary ER with a hypoglycemic, shocky, dehydrated, parasite-infested hot mess of a parvo puppy - talk about heartbreaking. See it all the time. And all your money will be sitting in the back pocket of the criminal who just ripped you off. Not a fan of CL for animals, ever.

jillpine: "Re: dark side:
Pro-tip: do not....repeat, just don't, buy your next best dog-friend off CL, at midnight, at Target parking lot. Don't do it. You will be visiting me, or the likes of me, at your friendly, expensive neighborhood veterinary ER with a hypoglycemic, shocky, dehydrated, parasite-infested hot mess of a parvo puppy - talk about heartbreaking. See it all the time. And all your money will be sitting in the back pocket of the criminal who just ripped you off. Not a fan of CL for animals, ever. "

Yikes! Thanks for the warning.

I'll bite.

Not a canoe on CL but a wood working dust collector I was selling. Sort of funny.

I had it listed for $140. Guy emails and asks if I'll sell it for $100. Sure I said.
I told him it was big and heavy so he needs more than a car. He tells me he has an Escalade so I tell him no problem.

I give him my address which is about 20 minutes from town and he replies that it's a long way to drive for a dust collector. I shrug his complaint.

He emails the next day and asks if I would drive it into town to meet him since it's not worth the gas for him to drive his Escalade to my place.

My reply: We're done.

Tom

The swift Osprey in the OP is one sweeeet boat. I’d like to find one like that. Anyone holding an osprey?

I have a Swift Osprey but am not in the market to sell. Agree, Kona, that the red osprey above looks like a sweet (and reasonably priced) canoe.